"Vegan Paradise" Replaces Meat-Heavy French Bistro

Move over meat and cheese—Vita is bringing plant-based food to New York City's Chelsea neighborhood.

Vegan restaurant Vita opened earlier this month in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. Vita—which means “life” in Italian—replaced French bistro Montmartre which served traditional meat-heavy dishes such as pâté, steak frites, and escargot. The new restaurant serves plant-based items such as eggplant sandwiches, beet gnocchi, and cauliflower coconut soup, and offers a variety of vegan desserts including raspberry cashew cheesecake. “Restaurants specializing in salads and other vegetarian and vegan fare are becoming increasingly common in many neighborhoods as diners become more health conscious,” Eater NY food journalist Robert Sietsema said. Customer demand for plant-based options is indeed driving the success behind New York’s new vegan eateries, including multiple locations of the growing by CHLOE restaurant chain.